Red Bull issues could cost 'trapped' Max Verstappen significant points in 2023, claims sim driver

Red Bull's simulator test driver Rudy van Buren recently explained how Max Verstappen could suffer from certain issues the Red Bull car has. Despite being extremely dominant in the 2022 F1 season, Verstappen had some problems with the RB18, which didn't completely suit his style of driving. Hints of the issue were noticed in Brazil, Austria, Hungary, and others.

Speaking to RacingNews365 after the 2022 F1 Brazilian GP, the Red Bull simulator driver explained how the car mishandles the tires after a certain time window and does not allow Verstappen to use his regular driving style. Van Buren said:

"I think it was the same as on the Red Bull Ring. Kind of the same trend. The car mishandles the tires and you're trapped after the first free practice. They go out on track - and we've seen many times this year that the car is super good in a certain work window - but occasionally they just don't get the car out of the box the way Max wants it to be."

He explained how the Red Bull car can be a 'diva' and be difficult to handle in these situations, saying:

"For example, if the car suffers from understeer, something that makes it difficult for Max to really get his 'Max style' out of the car… If that is in the car, as you saw in the sprint race in Brazil, then that has trapped you for the rest of the weekend. In that respect, the car is a bit of a diva. If you take it all year round, where did the Red Bull really go straight away, except in Spa? There is always something needed and that has I think they caught up last weekend."

These issues, combined with Red Bull's struggle to develop their new car due to a lack of wind tunnel time, will affect Max Verstappen in the 2023 F1 season.

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Sergio Perez believes he can beat Max Verstappen and win the world championship

Sergio Perez is confident that he can beat Max Verstappen and win the world championship. Though the Mexican admits that Verstappen is the fastest driver on the grid, he feels that the gap between them could close in a few years.

He said:

"The objective is to improve what has been done this season and fight for the championship. That is my biggest dream in Formula 1, and that's why I'm still here, I hope that in the next two years I can become a champion. Verstappen is the best driver at the moment, but I know that I can close the gap between the two and fight for the title."

Though Sergio Perez has high hopes for his future, it is safe to say that the competition is extremely tight with Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, George Russell, and even Lewis Hamilton all trying to catch Max Verstappen and clinch the world championship.